- Madison Cunningham “Beauty Into Clichés”: Madison Cunningham’s new song “Beauty Into Clichés,” tells the story about how people in a society have a propensity of overlooking and not completely understanding what is around us.
- Hannah Dasher “Stoned Age”: On Hannah Dasher’s new tune “Stoned Aged,” it has wonderful lyrics and her vocals are a perfect fit for this song.
- Regan Stewart “Stereotypical Girls”: Country singer Regan Stewart’s new song “Stereotypical Girls,” is a song that many people can connect to. Also this song shares about how we all have different lives, but at the end of the day we are all trying to be the same and have a happy life.
- Colter Wall “Plain to See Plainsman”: Colter Wall’s new single “Plain to See Plainsman,” tells the story about how Wall is paying tribute to his home country.
- James Carothers “Sinners and Saints”: James Carothers’ pays tribute to a well-known country artist on his new album, which will come out on September 7, 2018. Carothers’ does a cover of George Jones’ song “Sinners and Saints,” from his 1999 album “Cold Hard Truth.” Carothers pretty much sticks to the original but also adds his own touches to the song.
Stephen Ray’s: “California Country Album” Q&A!!
- California Country is country musician Stephen Ray’s new 11 tracks album. This great new album is available on all popular music outlets.
1. Hi Stephen, how have you grown as country singer in 2018?
I feel that with the release of my new album, California Country, I’ve grown as an artist by continuing to build my repertoire of music. Over the years, I’ve released numerous albums with different bands (rock, punk, you name it!). It’s such a great feeling to have spent the last few years now working on a country album and being able to release and perform it live.
2. How did you come up with the name of your new album “California Country?”
Back in 2012, I started writing a song about Stagecoach, which is a country music festival in California. At the time, the song was called “Stagecoach Crowd”. The song evolved over (well, 6 years) of writing it and I eventually called it California Country. To me though, it’s not just the name of a song, but also a lifestyle In a way, it is also a music genre of it’s own.
3. What is your favorite song from your new album?
That’s tough to say! I really enjoy performing Home Team, High Top Chucks and Springtime Sun, but I also believe Wide Awake Dreaming has the most dynamic to it making it a very powerful song. My favorite changes every day! Today, I’d have to say it’s Wide Awake Dreaming… or maybe Losing 🙂
4. Is there something you wish your fans would take away from this song?
Wide Awake Dreaming is about taking on an adventure with someone you love. It’s about working hard through sleepless nights and long days while you work toward a greater goal. I hope it can help inspire people to not only dream, but to be wide awake while they do it. I’m a believe that good things don’t come to people who wait, but people who work hard every day for what they are seeking.
5. Was there any other artists/producers that helped to create your new album?
Doug Allen produced the majority of this album with me. He has had the biggest impact in being able to get this album created and I can’t thank him enough. He not only produced and engineered all of the recording process, but also performed alot of lead guitar and vocals throughout the album with me. Jake Pooser, John McConaghy were also there every step of the way. I also have to credit Norv Turner, my brother Adam, Kyle Castellanni, Dusty Boyle, Jonny Williams, Kevin Childs and Jake Antelis for supporting on various songs along the way.
6. Is there anything else coming up with your music for the rest of 2018?
My plan now is to continue to promote the album as much as possible, hopefully land a song or two on any radio outlets and also play shows. I am in the process of getting the band together to be able to play full shows. We’ve started already with a string of acoustic sets through San Diego and Nashville and are going to continue to try and get this album out there however we can.
7. Is there anything else you would like to share?
My biggest request is to simply check listen to the album! It’s available on Spotify, Apple, etc. and I appreciate you adding it to your playlists and sharing with your social networks! My Instagram and Twitter is @StephenRayMusic. Thank you!
Hengisbury~ “Double Recipes”!!
Jessie’s Mum Magical Chocolate Fudge Cake:
Ingredients:
40z marge
10oz sugar
2 beaten eggs
6oz self-raising flour
2oz cocoa
2 drops vanilla essence
pinch salt
1 tbsp milk
Directions:
1. Grease 2 9″ sandwich tins. Set oven to 180 degrees celsuis.
2. Melt marge in saucepan. Put sugar in mixing bowl and add melted marge. Mix well.
3. Beat in eggs, add flour, cocoa, salt and milk. Add vanilla. Mix to give stiff consistency.
4, Pour into tin and cook for 20 mins.
Add chocolate frosting to make it extra chocolatey!
Pete’s (Pedro’s Simple Guac):
2 x avocado, 1/8 of a red onion, handful of coriander (I think you guys call it cilantro?)
blend the avocado, chopped onion, and coriander and then add salt and pepper to taste and blend once more!
Eat pretty much straight away with chips or whatever you like!
Hengistbury~ “Q&A”!!!
1. Hi Jessie and Pete, can you two tell me a little bit about yourselves before you became a country duo?J: My name is Jess. I’m from Devon in the South West of England and I sing and play fiddle, piano and a bit of guitar. I’ve always had a passion for music and started writing little poems in my early teens, which turned into songs when I was around 19. I even came runner up in a local competition for musicians when I was younger but I didn’t have the confidence to take up the prize which was a day in a recording studio. I found my confidence a little later and I love performing now.
P: My name is Pete. I’m originally from the South East of England in a place called Kent. It’s nice, lots of commuters who work in London. I lived in Leeds in the North while doing my degree in Music before moving to London and then moving to Dorset (where we live now) when I met my wife. I’ve been in bands since I was a teenager and even ran a record label with my best mate for a few years.
2. How did you guys become fans of country music and when did you know you wanted a career in it?
J: I grew up listening to it as my Mum has always loved country-but it was never huge in the UK so she was fairly unusual or so it seemed to me when I was little!
P: To be honest, I’m a fan of all kinds of music styles and have played all sorts before. I’ve always loved the storytelling in Country and the musicianship and it just so happens that the instruments I really love the sound of – guitar, lap steel, banjo, uke – all fall into that roots/country/folk sphere.
3. How did you guys’ formed your group and how did you come up with the name of your group?
Jess was in a country covers band for a few years and Pete joined when the previous guitarist left. We hit it off and started writing together.
The name took us a bit of time! We were kicking around loads of ideas but it’s such a heard thing to name a band! Eventually we came upon with Hengistbury which is after a beautiful bit of headland in our adopted home of Dorset.
4. What is the story behind your latest single “What Folks Don’t Know?”
P: It’s about my best mate. When we were living in London he had a really tough couple of years and a relationship that broke down. He needed a break and so decided to take a few months out to travel around the US and we met up in Nashville where we had an album to master. While we were there we obviously caught up about everything to do with his adventure and I was struck by the idea that with every new town he arrived in, he was completely anonymous, no one knew about anything he’d left behind in London and it struck me as quite an interesting angle.
5. Is there anything new coming up with your guys’ music for the rest of 2018?
Yes! We have pretty much finished recording our album which we are aiming to release around Mid-October. We just have to master, get the video for the 2nd single shot and go from there!
6. Who are some of your guys’ musical icons?
J: Dolly Parton, Dire Straits, Phil Collins, The Mamas and the Papas amongst other childhood influences-a bit of a mixture of genres. I also love The Corrs-they remind me of my own musical family and it made me feel less self-conscious about playing the fiddle which it wasn’t so cool to do as a teenager!
P: There are just so many! I love artists like Ryan Adams, Iron and Wine, Lord Huron, Johnny Cash, Ben Howard, First Aid Kit, and Elbow for their songwriting but also artists like Brad Paisley, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones for their guitar and lap steel playing. I’m sure there’s even more I’m missing!
7. Where do you see your music careers in the next 5 to 10 years?
J: I’d still like to be making music and singing. It’s a part of who I am so I imagine it’ll be something I do forever.
P: I’d like to still be writing, recording and performing with Jess. In terms of scale, I’m more interested in staying true to our art and continuing to make music we like and hopefully other people will enjoy it too. I also have a little plan to build something bigger – I’ll keep it relatively close to my chest at the moment but I want to build something bigger in the long run that supports other artists.
8. If you guys’ could sing with another artist or group who would it be and why?
J: Currently Maren Morris-she’s sassy. Or Lukas Nelson-his voice gives me shivers! From the grave…Jonny Cash-although we know a lot about his life I feel like he was an enigma and I think sharing a stage with him would have been an experience!
P: I’d love to work with someone like Ryan Adams or Guy Garvey but then I’d also be really interested to see what would happen if we partnered with someone completely outside of our genre – Dr Dre or someone perhaps.
9. Is there anything else you guys’ would like to share?
Thanks for having us and for creating such a cool blog!
Our single, What Folks Don’t Know is out now and our album will be coming mid October! We’re on instagram, Facebook, Twitter so come find us there for more details.
10.What is one of your favorite quotes?
J: “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. If you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place.” – Unknown.
P: “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells” – Dr Seuss
Artist Spotlight~ “Hengistbury”!!!
In 2017, in a small room that was changed into a recording studio on the South Coast, Jessie Mary and Pete Briley wrote together their debut song. The song is a slow ballad that is about Mary’s hometown and it would create a springboard from which the duo would put out their first album. The album will probably come out in the month of October.
Hengistbury’s has a unique country sound with a combination o folk music and their own roots from both areas of the Atlantic that is both entertaining and electrifying. Hengistbury’s debut song, “What Folks Don’t Know,” is available to listen on all popular music platforms around the world.
If you would like to find out more about Jessie and Pete then check out their website www.hengistburymusic.com.
Social Media Accounts:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hengistburymusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hengistburymusic/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/hengistburyband
PEARL’S JALAPEÑO CHEESE GRITS ~(Recipe)!!!
Ingredients:
-2 cups quick-cook grits
-2 1/2 cups grated extra sharp real organic Cheddar cheese (more to taste and preference)
-1 stick salted organic butter
-1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
-3 large organic eggs, well beaten
-2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeños (jarred is good)
-2/3 cloves fresh garlic finely minced depending on size and preference of flavor
-kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Instructions:
Cook the grits according to package directions. Remove from heat and add next each next ingredient down the list and stir well until cheese is melted. Season with salt to taste.
Pour mixture into a buttered 9-inch baking dish and bake for one hour until top is slightly golden brown. Let cool a little and go to town!
Pearl Aday~ “Q&A”!!!
- Photo Credit: Travis Shinn
Hi. Before this album, Heartbreak and Canyon Revelry, I released two others and an EP. I’ve been singing and performing my whole life.
I’ve been surrounded by all kinds of music constantly my whole life. Country music was played alongside Rock and Roll, R&B and soul, Big Band, and classical. My family has always been enveloped in music and we were always taught to appreciate good music and love it regardless of type.
Wow, I think there might be too many to name but the top few who come to mind are Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, my dad, Diana Ross, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Elton John
The title for the album just fell into place. It just came to me one day a while ago. I feel it perfectly encompasses what the album is about.
I love them all. I’m particularly proud of my lyrics in Sleepless Night and Revel Young
We’re just going to keep playing live as much as we can. I just confirmed another run of dates supporting my friend Cody Jinks in August in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest.
Writing, recording, performing live. Hopefully we’ll keep having the opportunities to play for as many people as possible.
Again, there may be too many to list. I would be honored to have the chance to share a duet with most any artist. In my support dates with Cody Jinks this past spring he would join us onstage every night to share the vocals with me on our rendition of Little Feat’s song “Willin’”. That was just too great.
“I remember that time you told me, you said ‘love is touching souls’, we’ll surely you’ve touched mine because part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time.” -Joni Mitchell
My new album Heartbreak and Canyon Revelry is available on all streaming sites including iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon. You can also order physical copies from my website ThePearlBand.com
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Pearl Aday~ “Artist Spotlight”!!!
- Photo Credit: Travis Shinn
Pearl Aday is following up from her critically praised first record “Little Immaculate White Fox” in 2015 with “Heartbreak and Canyon Revelry.” Aday worked again with Jim Wilson, who is a long time bassist for Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, and he is also a leader of his own successful groups, Motor Sister and Motor Superior.
This new combo has a California Country sound, with helped from famous guitarist Philip Sayce, the legendary Jay Dee Maness on pedal steel, Fred Mandel (Alice Cooper, Elton John, and Queen) on keyboards and was produced by Jay Ruston.
If you would like to find out more about Pearl Aday then check out her website (http://thepearlband.com).
Social Media Accounts:
dixiedeeblog.com 